Guest Column: Thoughts from Prison, Awaiting my Appeal

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Brian Wright

by Don Siegelman
c/o Friends of Don Siegelman | 1827 1st Ave North, Birmingham, AL 35203

I am waiting with great anticipation for my own appeal for a new trial, but today I would like to turn my attention to the plight of my fellow inmates. To those of you who have done so much to help me, I am asking you to give a hand to these other unfairly treated prisoners.

We recently got good news! The US Sentencing Commission just voted to reduce sentences for some low level, drug offenders! This is important progress, but I would like them to go farther. Fairness dictates that they apply the reductions retroactively as well. Continue reading →

Guest Column: Free Don Siegelman, Selma, March 9

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Brian Wright

Give Some Thought to Helping Don Siegelman

For some reason—actually, I’m very clear about what that reason is—I have a very sympathetic spot in my heart for Don Siegelman, former governor of Alabama, railroaded by the federal prosecutocracy during the Bush/Karl Rove era into prison for bestowing a routine not-for-personal-profit political favor. [Basically, Siegelman’s crime was being on a federal enemies list.] He’s sought release via the Obama justice department, but his appeals have fallen on deaf ears and hard hearts. Which is why I find the pro-Obama image on the sign right to be ironic. Help him out if you can. Remember, if former governors can be sentenced to hard time for political offenses, what do you think your fate will be? Continue reading →